distressed 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of distressednext
1
as in troubled

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in depressed

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Dissimilar Words

distressed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of distress
as in alarmed
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy don't let all the bad news distress you

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of distressed
Adjective
None asked whether people turn to chatbots for security and comfort when truly distressed. — Pascal Vrticka, Scientific American, 4 Oct. 2026 The familiar design styles, complete with brush stroke ribbons and distressed fonts. — Adam Taylor, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
Changes To Leaves Or Bark Yellow, browning, or dropping leaves outside of the fall season can mean a tree is distressed from drought, pests, disease, or lack of nutrients. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 Aug. 2026 Jeffrey Tam, a lawyer for nine residents of the Wang Fuk Court, noted some residents decided to give evidence despite being distressed by the tragedy. — ABC News, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for distressed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressed
  1. troubled
  2. depressed
  3. alarmed
  4. agitated
  5. reduced
  6. disturbed
  7. ruined
  8. distracted
Adjective
  • Super Micro Computer, the troubled hardware ally of Nvidia and Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has finally hired a new head of finance.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Actor Ryan Eggold made an appearance reprising his role as Matt Riley, the troubled brother of Detective Vincent Riley, showing up in court and wanting justice for his brother’s death.
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of troubled
Adjective
  • Republicans fear depressed turnout among their supporters in Texas could jeopardize their control of the Senate seat.
    — Matthew Choi, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Simply put, a rain garden is a depressed bed planted with native perennials and shrubs selected for their high-water tolerance.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of depressed
Verb
  • The symptom that alarmed me most in that moment was the progressive skin wrinkling in some NCBRS teens.
    — Deepa Fernandes, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Those moves have alarmed Japan, whose economy is dependent for its survival on open sea lines and which recently has been embroiled in a spat with China over remarks that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made about Taiwan.
    — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of alarmed
Adjective
  • When the door finally opened, an agitated young man who resembled Ryan Gosling (Rett Keeter) shined an LED flashlight directly into my eyes, a gesture that would become familiar over the next hour.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Altercations between agitated people with dementia and other residents or workers charged with caring for them are disturbingly common in long-term care facilities and private homes.
    — Jordan Rau, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of agitated
Adjective
  • Using reduced cream instead of part of the milk, and adding the milk a little at a time over a long period, and contnnually cleaning the Fons on the bottom of the pan.
    — Andy Baraghani, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The reduced storage is unlikely to result in lower subscription prices.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of reduced
Verb
  • Dead sheep and bears strewn along the pavement have disturbed local residents for years, but ecologists fear the road may also cause a much slower and quieter die-off, with mountain lions inbreeding as they are cut off from other lions.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • While the noise from the street would at times bleed into the living room, the bedroom was quiet, and our sleep was never disturbed by late-night foot traffic.
    — Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbed
Adjective
  • Sitting on the rim of his consciousness was always cataclysm, the muted whisper of a ruined world.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Definition of ruined
Verb
  • And not be distracted by whether or not Ed Sheeran is crying today or crying tomorrow.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
  • But she, and New York Times journalists observing the raid, were soon distracted by a group of cockroaches scurrying past an oil canister.
    — Zishaan a Latif, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of distracted

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Cite this Entry

“Distressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressed. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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